European Olympic Committees chief arrested in Rio

Aug.17, Brasilia: The head of the European Olympic Committees, Patrick Hickey, has been arrested in Rio over illegal Olympic ticket sales, local media reports said.

Hickey, 71, is suspected of illegally passing on tickets for the Games to touts who sold them at extortionate prices, Brazil media report said. His arrest comes days after a man was caught in Rio with 800 illegal tickets.

According to police, Hickey, who also heads the Olympic Council of Ireland, tried to escape when they came to arrest him. He slid his Olympic pass under the door when police came knocking and fled into the adjacent hotel room, where his son had been staying until recently, police added.

After he was arrested he was taken ill and received medical attention, reports said.

Brazilian media believe Hickey's arrest is related to that of fellow Irishman Kevin James Mallon on the day of the opening ceremony.